Securing My Love
by jmsbndgrl
Summary: Songfic - Missing A/P AOTC scene. Anakin returns from his and Obi-Wan's pursuit of Padme's assassin.


**Securing My Love  
**  
**Summary:** Missing Scene with Anakin and Padmé from AOTC. Anakin returns from his and Obi-Wan's pursuit of Padmé's assassin. Song is "I Knew I Loved You," by Savage Garden. This was a response to a 1990s Pop Music - Songfic Roulette Challenge on another website.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Star Wars. I'm just borrowing George Lucas's characters for a bit. I also don't own "I Knew I Loved You."

* * *

I am half sprinting to the rooms your security team has relocated you to after the kouhun attack. Obi-Wan tried to get me to stay with him while he talked to your security team, but I was able to escape him on the pretense that I would complete a security sweep. I am sure he did not believe me, but I do not care. I have to see you and know that you are safe.

It was all I could do to wrench myself from your side and follow Obi-Wan after your attack. For a brief moment, I had lost myself in your eyes, wanting to pull you to me and ease the fear I saw in them. I hesitated for a moment torn between my ever growing love for you and my duty as a Jedi. I am sure the only thing that finally moved me out of your bedroom was the fact that I could catch your would-be assassin and stop them before they brought harm to you again. They had tried to kill you twice, and having just been reunited with you, I could not let that happen again. The Force screamed to me that we were meant to be together. Its shouts were even stronger than it had been ten years ago.

_Maybe it's intuition  
But some things you just don't question_

The rooms you have been moved to were not as large as your apartment, but no less luxurious. However, I barely take notice of my surroundings, for my eyes are solely fixed on you. There is no denying the claim I made long ago, you are an angel, the embodiment of beauty and kindness.

I noticed that you jumped slightly in surprise at my intrusion, and I curse my impatience. You have just had a second attempt on your life and I want to protect you from your fears, not create new ones. "I… I am sorry to d-disturb you, milady." I stutter out an apology, becoming tongue-tied by your presence.

You shrug your shoulders at me as you begin to ask questions. "Is Master Kenobi all right? Did you find the assassin?" There is a calmness in your voice, born from years in the political arena, but your eyes reveal your true feelings. It pains me to see your deep brown eyes glazed with fear. If any of us should have been frightened it should be me, for I nearly lost you, the woman I love.

_Like in your eyes  
I see my future in an instant_

"Obi-Wan is in the command center downstairs." I am surprised by the bitterness in my voice and the edge of jealousy I feel that you enquired about my Master first and not me. For years I have dreamt of a reunion with you, but not like this. Your eyes were supposed to light up when you saw me and your smile should have brightened the room. Instead, I am greeted with eyes that cast themselves downwards as if you are avoiding me and the stoic mask of a Senator of the Republic is shrouding your face.

I step closer to the couch you are seated on, trying to get more of a reaction from you. I need to know that my dreams over the years have not been a lie. I need to know that deep down you still have feelings for that little boy you once knew, and that they could evolve into more for the man I have become. However, your face is impassive as your eyes continue to avoid me. As queen I had seen you use your political mask to evoke authority and strength, but I preferred your other persona, your real persona. Right now you were acting as Amidala, Senator from Naboo, but I longed for Padmé, the woman of my heart.

Impulsively, I take a seat beside you and watch you shift in discomfort. Curious as to what is wrong; I slide a gentle hand to your chin and turn your face towards mine. "Is something wrong, milady?" Perhaps I was pushing things too quickly, but the second your chocolate colored eyes met mine, I did not care. Your expression softened as I held your gaze captive with my own.

_And there it goes  
I think I've found my best friend_

"N…No." You stutter and I feel my heart swell at the soft inflection of your voice. Somehow I have found a way to break through to the woman I knew long ago.

"The assassin was killed." My calloused hand lightly caresses the softness of your cheek as I try to ease what I need to tell you. "When Obi-Wan and I confronted your would-be assassin, a bounty hunter came and killed her, preventing her from telling us her secrets."

I'm not sure if you heard everything that I said because you gasped in horror at the mention of the bounty hunter. I had more I wanted to tell you, to ease your troubles, but it was forgotten as I felt your hand clasp the one I had at your cheek. My skin tingled at your touch and a shiver ran down my spine when your eyes fluttered shut causing an eyelash to brush against one of my fingertips. Your action might have been reflexive, but the fact that you were clinging to my hand made my breath catch in my throat.

_I know that it might sound more than  
A little crazy but I believe _

I lose myself in sensation as your cheek lightly presses against my hand. My body aches with the knowledge that this one touch is not enough. For years I have felt that something was missing from my life and I suspected it was the angel from my past.

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life _

Longing for more of your touch, I raise my other hand and trail it lightly over your other cheek and down your neck. I smile at your sigh of surrender, pleased by your response to me. Although I would have preferred happier circumstances, I am glad that we are together, just the two of us.

_There's just no rhyme or reason  
Only this sense of completion_

Emboldened by your response, my eyes and hand trail lower, inching closer to the soft curves hidden by the dark blue robe and the thin white nightgown peeking from it. I can feel you start to tense as my hands glide mindlessly down your body, but my mind does not register the change in your reaction. All I am aware of is that I am receiving a chance to fulfill some of my reoccurring dreams.

Your soft refusal of, "No." barely registers in my mind. Even as you shrug away from me, my hands follow you, longing to maintain contact. Leaving to train as a Jedi had split us apart and my heart demanded that I do everything in my power to keep you with me now.

_And in your eyes  
I see the missing pieces  
I'm searching for_

"No." I hear you repeat once more as you use your own hand to push my eager ones away. "Please…." Your plea draws my attention from the tantalizing body I long to discover, back to your face. I curse that my actions have frightened you once more. I should have moved slower, but I desperately longed to be near you.

I did not stop to think about what you were feeling. I thought you reciprocated my feelings, but your refusal to let me touch you tore at my heart and shattered the happiness of having dreams fulfilled. You are all I have ever thought about, my memories of you have haunted every hour of my days. In all of my imagining, I had always thought you would feel the same.

My eyes drop and I bite my bottom lip in an attempt to hide my hurt. "I… I am sorry to have disturbed you, milady." I start to rise from my seated position to retreat and lick my wounds, but I am stopped by the brush of your soft hand against my own.

"Please stay. I don't want to be alone right now." Your tired eyes beckon me to retake my seat.

_I think I found my way home _

My wounded heart instantly mends at your request. I will refuse you nothing. However, although I am feeling rejuvenated with the knowledge that you have not rejected me, I can now clearly see the worry lines and dark circles around your eyes. So enthralled by your beauty earlier, I had not had a chance to see the exhaustion that had swept over your body.

"You look tired, milady." I comment softly.

I watch as you shake your head as loose strands of your curling hair fall in your face. "With all that has happened, I do not sleep well anymore."

_I know that it might sound more than  
a little crazy but I believe_

I understood that situation as sleep had not come easily to me either as of late. Haunting visions of my mother clouded my dreams of happier times with you. Now that I was close to having those dreams become a reality, I could not let you suffer from the nightmares others were trying to give you.

Putting the weight of the Force into my voice I state, "You need to sleep, milady."

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life _

You blink several times, fighting my suggestion. Jedi mind tricks usually only work on the weak minded, and you my angel are the strongest willed person I know. However, even the strongest I know will eventually succumb if one is persistent enough. I do not want the events of the last few days to glaze your eyes in sadness. Your hurt and pain calls to me to take action, to wipe it away, and at the moment there is only one thing I can do.

"Sleep." I urge you again, and I watch your eyes droop and your head nods off before you struggle awake once more.

"I don't want to sleep." You state with a yawn. "What if the bounty hunter comes back for me?"

"I will protect you. No harm will come to you. I'll stay by your side." I supply soothing answers along with my persistence Force suggestions to you.

A sleepy smile crosses your features as you say, "I know you will." Then without realizing what you are doing you move closer to me, snuggle into my shoulder and fall asleep.

I am shocked by your action, for I never suggested you move towards me, but I am nevertheless pleased. You've come to me of your own free will and I hope that in the morning we can continue where we have left off.

_A thousand angels dance around you  
I am complete now that I found you _

Unable to resist, I tangle my fingers in your silken tresses and simply smile down at your slumbering form. As you sigh wistfully and snuggle closer to me I know that I would like nothing more that to stay with you all night. It is a pity that Obi-Wan and your security team will not allow that.

Taking another few moments to bask in your closeness, I resign myself that I have to leave. However, I will make sure you are comfortable for the night before I go. Shifting you around, I cradle you gently in my arms and carry you to the small bedroom a few paces away.

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life_

Settling down in the middle of your bed, I again feel a pang that I must leave you for the night, especially when you unconsciously reach a hand out towards me and softly call out my name, "Anakin…"

"I'm here my, Angel. I'll protect you." I utter in response, running my calloused fingers down your cheek in a gesture of farewell. I smile in reaction to the small smile you give me in response to my touch.

_I knew I loved you before I met you  
I think I dreamed you into life  
I knew I loved you before I met you  
I have been waiting all my life_

"Goodnight, my Angel. Sleep well." I murmur softly, brushing my lips against your cheek before taking my leave. I hope that tonight my own dreams will be filled of visions of you and that yours are of me. Then perhaps tomorrow we can follow this path the Force has laid before us and share our first real kiss.


End file.
